After Microsoft has launched Windows 8
and above Desktop Operating Systems, It has not been that easier to retrieve
saved Wi-Fi password from the system using GUI.
Thanks to command line utility that it
is still possible to retrieve it with minimal efforts and without using
Graphical User Interface.
So let’s get started:
- Open a PowerShell Window or a Command Prompt Window.
- Enter following command and hit enter to list all saved SSIDs (Wi-Fi Profiles)
netsh wlan show profiles
- Lets select one of the SSID for which we want to retrieve the Password.
- Enter following command and hit enter to see the detail about our selected SSID.
netsh wlan
show profiles w32-Redlof
Note : The SSID/Profile name can also be surrounded in double quotes
- We see that we can see almost every useful detail about our selected SSID but the password is still not visible.
- Enter following command and hit enter to reveal password from our selected SSID.
netsh wlan
show profiles w32-Redlof key=clear
In the above Screenshot we see that the password is being
shown in clear text which can be reused as necessary and as and when required.
This has been tested and found working on following OSes:
Microsoft Windows 7
Microsoft Windows 8
Microsoft Windows 8.1
Microsoft Windows 10
Disclaimer: Please use this
method only for constructive purposes. The purpose of this blog is just to let
you know the way to retrieve information from within the system and should not
be used for any kind of exploitation, illegal or unwelcomed activities.
